I've spent the last five years sticking up for music video and commercial turned film directors like Michael Bay and McG. I've always found films like The Rock, Armageddon and Charlie's Angeles to be fun popcorn movies. The fast MTV style of both directors is evident in all of their work. So I was surprised to see that McG was interested in making a dramatic football movie. The film's trailers are devoid of the stylish cinemotography and fast cut editing that we've come to expect. For all intensive purposes, it appears like McG wanted to make a REAL movie. TRY is the key word. (we'll get back to that later)
Marshall is not about the rebuilding of a football team, but instead about a town coming to terms with a tragedy of massive proportions. The moving on story however is much less compelling than you'd think. And it doesn't help that McG chose to play up the sappy melodrama and overtly corny moments (thousands of people chanting "We Are MArshall" in unison). The talking scenes (which there are many) eek by at a slow pace, and a couple of the more emotional moments are unintentionally laughable.
Watching Charlie's Angeles, I always believed that McG was just having fun. But now it is abundantly clear that this guy has no sense of reality. There are few moments of this film that feel realistic. Instead most of the scenes feel like the product of someone raised on too many movies and too much television.
McG's talent lies in the montage and action sequences which he expertly turns into a compelling story. You can tell he feels more at home in these sequences.
We Are Marshall is about the rebuilding of a team which gave it their best but ultimately sucked for two decades. McG gave it his best try too. And sometimes your best try isn't good enough, especially when you're out of your league.
The film's crown jewel is the credit sequence which shows the real life town in morning, and compares the actors against their real life counterpoints.
/Film Rating: 5 out of 10